Click to embiggen.
The fishing rod controller will be bundled with Bass Pro Shops: The Strike, a new fishing game that promises to appeal to "gamers of all levels." For simulation fans, the game's focus on accurate depictions of lures, reels and rods will undoubtedly be enticing. However, the developers have also accounted for casual gamers that might not want to sit around for hours on end, waiting for the perfect fish to catch. A simplified arcade mode will highlight "hot spots" for fish, whilst making the process of snagging a fish much easier. In addition to the arcade mode, there will also be mini-games, such as a boat racing challenge.
The game and controller bundle will cost $80 and will be sold at Bass Pro Shops and other retailers in September. A Wii version is also in the works, which will include a plastic fishing rod shell to put around the controller. An early hands-on of the Xbox 360 version was accessible for us fishing novices, while the promise of added depth certainly looked convincing. One note of trouble, though: the early prototype we played with broke apart in the middle of play. We were told final production models will be sturdier, but we thought we'd pass on the warning.
